"A Curious Herbal", Plate 267. Sassafras originated in North America. It has served as a treatment for syphilis, scurvy, gout, fluid retention, rheumatic pains, colds and influenza, and skin eruptions. Sassafras is a genus of three extant and one extinct species of deciduous trees in the family Lauraceae. It is used for urinary tract disorders, swelling in the nose and throat, syphilis, bronchitis, high blood pressure in older people, gout, arthritis, skin problems, and cancer. It is also used as a tonic and blood purifier. Some people apply sassafras directly to the skin to treat skin problems, rheumatism, swollen eyes, sprains, and insect bites or stings. Sassafras oil is also applied to the skin to kill germs and head lice. Elizabeth Blackwell (1707-1758) was a famed Scottish illustrator and author who was best known as both the artist and engraver for the plates of "A Curious Herbal" (1737).